Drabbles - Founders
Drabbles to do with the Founders of Hogwarts.
Title: Erised
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Objects behaving oddly
Characters: Rowena Ravenclaw
Author's Notes: An object isn't really working oddly, here. It's just showing what it is not meant to be showing and that's the problem.
At first it had only been the odd glance and a blush.
A fluttery heart when their eyes met over dinner.
Rowena told herself not to be so silly.
This wasn’t what she wanted - she was pragmatic, she was studious, she was measured.
She was not going to let this happen. It would ruin her dreams.
To soothe herself she went to the mirror. Hesitant, she closed her eyes.
“I’ll see the school, I’ll see the students, I’ll watch the learning.”
But then she opened her eyes and saw his stupid smiling face and felt her cheeks burn.
Bloody Godric.
Title: Raven's Tears
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Character: Rowena
Author's notes: Blame Jels for this one!
I hate all this awful fighting.
The two of them. They can be such boys! Boys with their idiotic masculinity and their wounded pride and their stupid bravado and their bloody-mindedness and their sodding misplaced conceptions of honour and morality.
Boys with swords. Wizards with wands. Men with their principles which by Merlin they will stick to.
Men with tongues which welt more than whips. Tongues which sever more permanently than knives, melting through friendship like butter.
That’s why Salazar’s leaving and Helga’s heart is breaking and Godric’s fist is clenching and why this parchment is splattered with my tears.
Title: Mirror
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Helga
Author's Note: Thank you, persephone_kore, for the idea.
“Erised,”
The name feels soft and heavy against my tongue and I am pleased with it. Not an advanced Latin phrase, not a complex puzzle. It is simple and true.
Erised.
I look in again and drink the image. A school behind me. Next to me, Salazar, Godric, Rowena. Around us are children, and they are happy. Safe, protected, learning and joyful.
This is my desire, and I share it with the others. I know that if we work at it, if we dedicate our lives to it, we shall achieve it. Our school. And it shall be our legacy.
Title: Chamber
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Salazar
I seal the chamber, whispering a hissed goodbye to my sleeping creation within. He will wake again.
I creep through the school’s echoing corridors, shrinking back against the dark walls to avoid late-night wanderers. For once I do not punish those out of bed at night. They are no longer my concern.
Voices. I sink into shadow and watch the three of them pass. Helga’s eyes will be shining with tears. Godric’s face will be grim, Rowena’s determined.
They will keep our school strong. This school, not my chamber, not my house, not even my children, is my true legacy.
Title: Library
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Rowena
Godric’s arms are gentle when he carries me in. His voice is low and sweet and choking.
“It’s so typical, Rowena,” he says, struggling between laughter and tears. “Of course you had to see the library one last time.”
His eyes sadden. He has brought me here to die among the peaceful leaves and wisdom of my lifetime's books.
“This is my haven,” I manage, though breath is precious. “I spent so long building this library.”
He strokes my hand, and I think how glad I am to be dying here, in my library, within our school. My true legacy.
Title: Forest
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Godric
They’ve gone, but I have vigour left to pace the school like a cage.
Outside I find more freedom, watch them flying, playing, laughing.
Towards the forest, I conveniently forget the promise made to my anxious daughter.
I go in alone. The forest was my pride. An adventure, a test of boldness and daring.
Yet as I wander the castle, I see flashes of us all, hidden amongst the stonework, in the halls, the classrooms, the emblems, the houses, the motto. Most of all we’re in the students. As they roam the school they breathe us.
That’s our true legacy.
Title: Four No More
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Characters: Founders
A/N: Chapter 3 of 'Chamber of Secrets' The Burrow
The day Salazar left, Godric charged around the castle. He kicked statues until he stubbed his toe. He cursed portraits until he was hoarse. He stomped off to the forest to pick a fight.
Rowena fled to the library. She tore Salazar’s book from the shelf and ripped its pages. She pressed the broken spine against her chest and sobbed among the strewn parchment.
Helga went to the students. She comforted Salazar’s chosen pupils. She reassured them all that the school would remain open.
That night she transformed, seeking sanctuary in the damp earth. There in the burrow, she wept.
Title: The Four Seasons
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
When Godric was in a temper, he conjured autumn. Outside, his hair mingled with golden-brown leaves driven by gales. The wind howled his rage until it passed.
When Salazar was angry, he conjured winter. Bitter-cold, icy-still, he sat, seething in his dungeon room, slowing his heartbeat, freezing his wrath.
When Rowena was upset, she conjured spring. Showers pounded her sodden figure. She cried with the rain, knowing it wouldn’t last long.
When Helga was sad, she conjured summer. Glorious sun warmed her limbs, bright light shone upon the forest, lake and grass. She could never be gloomy under such sunlight.
Title: A Very Bad Day
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Author's Notes: This is entirely the fault of zanthia122 who commented on the above drabble asking, 'what would happen when they've a fight?' Well, apparently, this.
“Bloody Helga and her infernal sunshine,” Godric stormed as he charged over the warm green grass, cursing the flowers to oblivion on his way to the forest.
“Wretched Rowena and her blasted rain,” Salazar hissed, as he marched to the dungeons, an icicle already forming from the drip on his nose.
“Miserable Salazar and his accursed coldness,” Rowena sniffed as she felt the frost sweep through her damp clothing, making her shiver as she entered the castle.
“Flaming Godric and his nuisance winds,” Helga sighed sadly as she examined her ruined garden. “They’ve blown the heads off all my sunflowers.”
Title: A Python Named ...
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Characters: James, Sirius, Peter, Salazar, Rowena, Godric, Helga
Author's Note: Just to clarify - James, Sirius and Peter are making their way to the Whomping Willow under the cloak.
“Padfoot, watch it! That’s my foot.”
“Omph. Sorry, Prongs.”
“Which of you has your elbow in my face?”
“Why don’t you just transform, Wormtail? Give us a bit of breathing space.”
The three passed on.
From a portrait, four faces looked on knowingly.
“Idiots,” one figure said, disdain battling grudging admiration. “They’ll get caught.”
“And it’s illegal,” came an exasperated female voice. “Impressive, though, at that age.”
“Impressive? Bloody brilliant, more like. The nerve of them!”
“Such loyalty.” A girlish giggle. “And the names!”
“Ours were better, eh?”
“Helga’s suggestions weren’t.”
“Quiet, Salazar. Monty’s a lovely name for a snake.”
Title: Wasting
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Characters: Helga, Rowena and Godric
“Come on, Rowena. You must eat something.”
Rowena looked up and smiled weakly at her friend. “Sorry, Helga. I’m just distracted. I’m working out a wonderful new branch of Arithmancy.”
Helga placed a laden plate in front of Rowena and handed her a fork. She turned to Godric and touched his arm.
Godric dropped the hand which was raising a tankard to his lips. He looked at her guiltily.
Helga transfigured the spirits into pumpkin juice.
Rowena chewed as she flicked through her book. Godric sipped his juice. Neither noticed that Helga had taken no refreshment. Not since Salazar left.
Title: Falling
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Characters: Founders
It was a shock when Salazar left. Had the quarrels really been that bad? Probably they had. The schism had been a while in brewing.
It was more of a shock when Helga died. Helga, who had cared for so many others, forsook herself. Maybe she gave too much of her heart away, and kept too little for her own use.
It was the biggest shock of all that Rowena and Godric couldn’t function without the other two. Rowena became as dusty as her library. Godric, without temperance, found adventure in the bottom of a beer-mug.
Divided, the houses fell.
Title: Founder's Founding
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Characters: Samuel Smith
Author's Notes: Unassuming birth names seem to run in the family.
Samuel ran, tears pouring down his face, wails bubbling up in his throat. He leapt into a tree and clutched the branches.
He’d been caught. He knew that talking to snakes was bad. He’d known to never do it when people could hear. But his mother had walked in on him in conversation with an adder. And he’d been chased away.
Grief didn’t keep him long. Samuel sat up and wiped his eyes. He was a wizard, off to make his fortune. He needed a name - Samuel Smith didn’t seem fitting.
Salazar Slytherin grinned as he dropped from the tree.
Title: Erised
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Objects behaving oddly
Characters: Rowena Ravenclaw
Author's Notes: An object isn't really working oddly, here. It's just showing what it is not meant to be showing and that's the problem.
At first it had only been the odd glance and a blush.
A fluttery heart when their eyes met over dinner.
Rowena told herself not to be so silly.
This wasn’t what she wanted - she was pragmatic, she was studious, she was measured.
She was not going to let this happen. It would ruin her dreams.
To soothe herself she went to the mirror. Hesitant, she closed her eyes.
“I’ll see the school, I’ll see the students, I’ll watch the learning.”
But then she opened her eyes and saw his stupid smiling face and felt her cheeks burn.
Bloody Godric.
Title: Raven's Tears
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Character: Rowena
Author's notes: Blame Jels for this one!
I hate all this awful fighting.
The two of them. They can be such boys! Boys with their idiotic masculinity and their wounded pride and their stupid bravado and their bloody-mindedness and their sodding misplaced conceptions of honour and morality.
Boys with swords. Wizards with wands. Men with their principles which by Merlin they will stick to.
Men with tongues which welt more than whips. Tongues which sever more permanently than knives, melting through friendship like butter.
That’s why Salazar’s leaving and Helga’s heart is breaking and Godric’s fist is clenching and why this parchment is splattered with my tears.
Title: Mirror
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Helga
Author's Note: Thank you, persephone_kore, for the idea.
“Erised,”
The name feels soft and heavy against my tongue and I am pleased with it. Not an advanced Latin phrase, not a complex puzzle. It is simple and true.
Erised.
I look in again and drink the image. A school behind me. Next to me, Salazar, Godric, Rowena. Around us are children, and they are happy. Safe, protected, learning and joyful.
This is my desire, and I share it with the others. I know that if we work at it, if we dedicate our lives to it, we shall achieve it. Our school. And it shall be our legacy.
Title: Chamber
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Salazar
I seal the chamber, whispering a hissed goodbye to my sleeping creation within. He will wake again.
I creep through the school’s echoing corridors, shrinking back against the dark walls to avoid late-night wanderers. For once I do not punish those out of bed at night. They are no longer my concern.
Voices. I sink into shadow and watch the three of them pass. Helga’s eyes will be shining with tears. Godric’s face will be grim, Rowena’s determined.
They will keep our school strong. This school, not my chamber, not my house, not even my children, is my true legacy.
Title: Library
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Rowena
Godric’s arms are gentle when he carries me in. His voice is low and sweet and choking.
“It’s so typical, Rowena,” he says, struggling between laughter and tears. “Of course you had to see the library one last time.”
His eyes sadden. He has brought me here to die among the peaceful leaves and wisdom of my lifetime's books.
“This is my haven,” I manage, though breath is precious. “I spent so long building this library.”
He strokes my hand, and I think how glad I am to be dying here, in my library, within our school. My true legacy.
Title: Forest
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Me, myself and I
Characters: Godric
They’ve gone, but I have vigour left to pace the school like a cage.
Outside I find more freedom, watch them flying, playing, laughing.
Towards the forest, I conveniently forget the promise made to my anxious daughter.
I go in alone. The forest was my pride. An adventure, a test of boldness and daring.
Yet as I wander the castle, I see flashes of us all, hidden amongst the stonework, in the halls, the classrooms, the emblems, the houses, the motto. Most of all we’re in the students. As they roam the school they breathe us.
That’s our true legacy.
Title: Four No More
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Characters: Founders
A/N: Chapter 3 of 'Chamber of Secrets' The Burrow
The day Salazar left, Godric charged around the castle. He kicked statues until he stubbed his toe. He cursed portraits until he was hoarse. He stomped off to the forest to pick a fight.
Rowena fled to the library. She tore Salazar’s book from the shelf and ripped its pages. She pressed the broken spine against her chest and sobbed among the strewn parchment.
Helga went to the students. She comforted Salazar’s chosen pupils. She reassured them all that the school would remain open.
That night she transformed, seeking sanctuary in the damp earth. There in the burrow, she wept.
Title: The Four Seasons
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
When Godric was in a temper, he conjured autumn. Outside, his hair mingled with golden-brown leaves driven by gales. The wind howled his rage until it passed.
When Salazar was angry, he conjured winter. Bitter-cold, icy-still, he sat, seething in his dungeon room, slowing his heartbeat, freezing his wrath.
When Rowena was upset, she conjured spring. Showers pounded her sodden figure. She cried with the rain, knowing it wouldn’t last long.
When Helga was sad, she conjured summer. Glorious sun warmed her limbs, bright light shone upon the forest, lake and grass. She could never be gloomy under such sunlight.
Title: A Very Bad Day
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Author's Notes: This is entirely the fault of zanthia122 who commented on the above drabble asking, 'what would happen when they've a fight?' Well, apparently, this.
“Bloody Helga and her infernal sunshine,” Godric stormed as he charged over the warm green grass, cursing the flowers to oblivion on his way to the forest.
“Wretched Rowena and her blasted rain,” Salazar hissed, as he marched to the dungeons, an icicle already forming from the drip on his nose.
“Miserable Salazar and his accursed coldness,” Rowena sniffed as she felt the frost sweep through her damp clothing, making her shiver as she entered the castle.
“Flaming Godric and his nuisance winds,” Helga sighed sadly as she examined her ruined garden. “They’ve blown the heads off all my sunflowers.”
Title: A Python Named ...
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Characters: James, Sirius, Peter, Salazar, Rowena, Godric, Helga
Author's Note: Just to clarify - James, Sirius and Peter are making their way to the Whomping Willow under the cloak.
“Padfoot, watch it! That’s my foot.”
“Omph. Sorry, Prongs.”
“Which of you has your elbow in my face?”
“Why don’t you just transform, Wormtail? Give us a bit of breathing space.”
The three passed on.
From a portrait, four faces looked on knowingly.
“Idiots,” one figure said, disdain battling grudging admiration. “They’ll get caught.”
“And it’s illegal,” came an exasperated female voice. “Impressive, though, at that age.”
“Impressive? Bloody brilliant, more like. The nerve of them!”
“Such loyalty.” A girlish giggle. “And the names!”
“Ours were better, eh?”
“Helga’s suggestions weren’t.”
“Quiet, Salazar. Monty’s a lovely name for a snake.”
Title: Wasting
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Characters: Helga, Rowena and Godric
“Come on, Rowena. You must eat something.”
Rowena looked up and smiled weakly at her friend. “Sorry, Helga. I’m just distracted. I’m working out a wonderful new branch of Arithmancy.”
Helga placed a laden plate in front of Rowena and handed her a fork. She turned to Godric and touched his arm.
Godric dropped the hand which was raising a tankard to his lips. He looked at her guiltily.
Helga transfigured the spirits into pumpkin juice.
Rowena chewed as she flicked through her book. Godric sipped his juice. Neither noticed that Helga had taken no refreshment. Not since Salazar left.
Title: Falling
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Characters: Founders
It was a shock when Salazar left. Had the quarrels really been that bad? Probably they had. The schism had been a while in brewing.
It was more of a shock when Helga died. Helga, who had cared for so many others, forsook herself. Maybe she gave too much of her heart away, and kept too little for her own use.
It was the biggest shock of all that Rowena and Godric couldn’t function without the other two. Rowena became as dusty as her library. Godric, without temperance, found adventure in the bottom of a beer-mug.
Divided, the houses fell.
Title: Founder's Founding
House: Hufflepuff
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Founders
Characters: Samuel Smith
Author's Notes: Unassuming birth names seem to run in the family.
Samuel ran, tears pouring down his face, wails bubbling up in his throat. He leapt into a tree and clutched the branches.
He’d been caught. He knew that talking to snakes was bad. He’d known to never do it when people could hear. But his mother had walked in on him in conversation with an adder. And he’d been chased away.
Grief didn’t keep him long. Samuel sat up and wiped his eyes. He was a wizard, off to make his fortune. He needed a name - Samuel Smith didn’t seem fitting.
Salazar Slytherin grinned as he dropped from the tree.